‘Fish Hat Bandit’ Pleads Guilty to 4 Holdups
A man suspected of being the “Fish Hat Bandit,” who robbed 43 Orange County banks during a seven-month spree in 1986 and 1987, pleaded guilty in Los Angeles Wednesday to holding up four Orange County facilities, federal officials said.
Kenneth James Killeen, a 38-year-old parolee from Garden Grove, entered his plea in U.S. District Court, Assistant U.S. Atty. Mark Werksman said.
Killeen pleaded guilty to robbing the Buena Park branch of Southern California Savings, a Fullerton Savings & Loan Assn. branch in Garden Grove and a Security Pacific National Bank branch in Garden Grove. He also pleaded guilty to attempted robbery of a United California Savings Bank in Laguna Hills. All of the holdups occurred in 1987.
Killeen, known to be an avid golfer, was arrested after Newport Beach detectives spotted a man matching his description at a Santa Ana golf course.
Werksman said Killeen entered his plea just before he began his opening statements.
“As I was approaching the lectern, I felt a tug on my coat sleeve,” Werksman said. “It was the defense attorney offering to plead his client guilty.”
The Fish Hat Bandit got his name by wearing a netted fishing cap during his robberies to prevent television monitors from getting a clear view of his face. Killeen wore a fishing cap in two of the four holdups he confessed to Wednesday, according to Werksman. In the other two, he wore a baseball cap.
Killeen could face up to 80 years in prison and $1 million in fines, Werksman said. Sentencing was set for Aug. 8.
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